Senate Votes To Remove Tolls At Merrimack Exit — Then Tables Bill

MERRIMACK, NH — The NH State Senate voted Thursday to remove the tolls in Merrimack at Exit 10 north and southbound ramps on the F.E. Everett Turnpike.

The vote on SB117 has 16 yes votes and 8 no votes. At this time the bill is tabled, according to NH Senate Spokesperson Carol Alfonso.

The majority leader tabled the bill which prevents it from being sent to the house for a vote at this time. A vote must be called at a later date to remove the bill from the table or it will automatically die at the end of the current Senate session

Drivers getting onto the F.E. Everett Turnpike have complained in the past about being forced to pay tolls to use the turnpike that surrounds their town.

In July 2014, the tollbooths at Exit 12 were closed and eventually demolished. The decision came after Merrimack residents had been fighting for toll relief since the state installed three toll ramps in the town 25 years ago.

In November 2019, the Governor and Executive Council voted to remove the toll from Exit 11 Ramp in Merrimack.

The tollbooth infuriated many residents for a very long time because they believed that it was essentially a tax for utilizing the turnpike while living in Merrimack. Residents from other communities along the turnpike were not tolled even though they have direct access to the road. According to officials, net revenue annually for the Exit 11 tollbooth was about $800,000. The State of New Hampshire research showed that it was costing the 93 cents to collect 50-cents in toll.

The state of New Hampshire stopped collecting toll fees on Jan. 1, 2020. The tollbooth structures were demolished beginning in October 2020 and are now gone.

In a statement from Senator Gary Daniels (R-Milford) issued a statement on the passage of SB117 supporting the removal of the toll ramps at Exit 10 in the town of Merrimack which includes the north and southbound ramps on the F.E. Everett Turnpike: “The tolls were constructed in 1990 with the agreement that when the bond that built them was paid off, they would be removed. Well, the bond has expired, and now it’s the government’s turn to keep its promise. I am pleased the Senate voted to take down the Exit 10 tolls, ending the unfair burden on Merrimack residents. That moves state government one step closer to maintaining its trust with local communities.”